At-risk children of at-risk parents: assessing common injuries to the children of teenage parents.

Abstract

To examine the common injuries in the children of teenage parents seen in the emergency department (ED) of a large level I trauma center. We used admission records for guarantor age to assess common injuries. The majority of the patients were white, in the care of the mother, and suffered accidental injuries, with bruising and skin marks the most common. Although children born to teenage parents are at an increased risk for child abuse, the rate of abuse in this study sample remained low. Falls and ingested objects were the leading mechanisms of injury in these patients, who were generally evaluated and discharged from the ED. This study highlights the common injuries and mechanisms to better understand how injuries are sustained in this unique population. The results of this study can be used for educational purposes both in the ED and in classroom-based parenting classes. Prevention efforts for teenage parents should be geared toward teaching better supervision and improving home safety.